A Good Night
by Aneirin
Summary: Phoenix promised Maya he'd make it up to her after not being able to go to Kurain village with her. What will the Ace Attorney come up with? And what'll happen when the details of an old case get brought up? spoilers for Justice for All, rated for safety


Disclaimer: I own nothing. Well, except for a copy of Ace Attorney, Justice for All, and Investigations. And this story, I guess.

Author's Note: My first Phoenix Wright Fic! Woo! I've been playing the games recently, and so I've been inspired. I haven't played Trials and Tribulations or Apollo Justice, but

I do know what happens. However, this will be taking place a little after Investigations, I'm thinking. I'm disregarding anything in Apollo Justice.

* * *

An attorney sat in his office, sighing after finishing his last piece of paperwork for the day. Phoenix Wright sat back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. It had been a long day for him, and he wanted nothing more than to relax. However, his mind was still too busy.

It had been some time since the Matt Engarde case, but Phoenix still felt it. He kept looking back to the day when he'd proclaimed Matt guilty. Back to the moment when he'd seen Maya, and the nightmare had ended.

All he could remember thinking when she talked was how happy he was that she was ok. He had also realized something that day, but he hadn't been able to say it. And now, quite some time since the event, he felt like he'd missed his chance. Like it wouldn't matter if he said it now. Like it was too late.

He sighed again. What else was new? He heard the door open and looked back down. It was Maya. She had been back up to the Kurain Village over the weekend. He hadn't been able to go due to a minor case he'd been working on.

He smiled. "Hi Maya."

"Hey Nick," she greeted, also smiling. Phoenix got up and gave her a hug.

"How was the village?" he asked.

"Just fine," answered Maya. "Pearly said to say hi." Phoenix took one look at her, and knew that Pearl had probably said more than just that. Ever since they'd met, Pearl had always thought that there was something going on between... Phoenix shook the thought from his mind. Maya looked at him. "Something wrong?"

"No," said Phoenix. He looked back at his desk. "I gotta say, your timing was great. I literally just got finished."

"Oh good!" said Maya happily. "Then that means you can keep your promise tonight!"

"Huh?"

"Don't play dumb," smiled Maya. "You promised that since we couldn't both go the Kurain village, we'd do something together once I got back."

"Oh, right," said Phoenix. How had he forgotten? "But, I mean, did you really want to do it tonight, or... I mean, I haven't exactly planned anything, and I just got finished working..."

"Pleeeeeease Nick?" pleaded Maya. "I know you must be kinda tired, but you never know what'll happen tomorrow. Things always seem to come up, and you never have any time. Pleeeeeease?"

"Oh alright," said Phoenix, giving in. He knew she was absolutely correct. With the Wright & Co. Law Offices, any case was bound to show up at any given time, and it would promise to be both bizarre and time consuming. They might as well take advantage of the time that they had now.

He pulled out a phone-book, and Maya sat down. "Well," he said, "Since you're back, and I haven't eaten anything since noon, we may as well start off with dinner. Where would you like to go?"

"How about a nice restaurant?" asked Maya. The attorney looked up, surprised. He'd expected her to just want to go to their usual burger joint. He'd only gotten the phone book out to see what he could find to do after they'd eaten.

"Like where?" he asked.

"I don't know," said Maya. "Maybe... Oh! I saw an advertisement on the bus for a new Italian place."

"Oh? What was it called?"

"'Luigi's' or something," said Maya. Phoenix began looking for the number and address in the phone book. He found it, and grabbed the phone.

"How's six sound?" he asked. Maya looked at the clock. That was about an hour and a half away.

"Sure," said Maya, standing up. "I'm going to go get changed then. I've been traveling all day, and I think I need to get out of these clothes."

"Okay," said Phoenix, a little surprised. Normally, Maya didn't seem to care about her clothes much, perfectly content to wear her Medium Uniform at all times. Phoenix called the restaurant and made reservations, while Maya left the room. Once he was done, he looked down at his own clothes. He'd been in this suit all day. If Maya was going to get changed, he thought, the least he could do was change into a new suit as well.

888

It was approaching six by the time Phoenix had showered and changed into a fresh suit. He had made some plans for what to do after dinner, something that he felt Maya would think was fun. After all, he was making up for not being able to go to Kurain with her.

He was trying to straighten his tie when there was a knock on the door. "Be there in just a sec," he said, walking towards the door. He opened the door, focusing immediately on his difficult tie. "Dinner reservations are all done, and I thought that afterward we could-" he looked up from his tie for a moment and was struck dumb.

Maya was standing in front of him, wearing a yellow, what appeared to be silk dress, with an off-yellow scarf on her shoulders, satin evening gloves, and she was carrying a small purse that went with the outfit. She smiled, a light blush in her cheeks as Phoenix stared.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"It looks... it looks great," said Phoenix, trying to regain his composure. "When, uh, when did you get it?"

"I saved up," said Maya. "I, um... I guess I just kind of wanted a nice dress. So I saved up for it, and just kept it for a special occasion." She walked forward and straightened Phoenix's tie. Now it was his turn to blush a little. "Are we ready to go now, Nick?"

"Uh, yeah," said Phoenix. "I, uh, I called us a taxi. It'll be here in-" HONK HONK! "-Now, I guess. Shall we?" Maya smiled and nodded. He locked the door behind them, and they went out to the taxi. It was a driver Phoenix had had many times before, who insisted that he be called "Mac" and didn't offer anything else as a name.

"So where to tonight?" asked Mac.

"That new Italian restaurant," said Maya. "'Luigi's'."

"You got it," said Mac, starting down the street. "So, you two got a date tonight or what?" Both the attorney and the spirit medium felt their cheeks heat up.

"We just thought it would be nice to go out for dinner tonight," said Phoenix. "It's the first free night we've had in a while."

"Being a big shot attorney eats up your time, huh?" asked Mac. "Shoulda figured, really."

"I wouldn't say 'big shot'," said Phoenix, "but I do stay pretty busy." After some more idle conversation, Mac eventually chose to focus on the road.

"So Nick," began Maya, "What exactly did you have planned for after dinner?"

"Well," he answered, "I think I managed to find something that you'd really love."

"What?" asked Maya.

"Nope," smiled Phoenix, "It's a surprise."

"Aw, c'mon Nick, don't tease me like that."

"Trust me, you'll love it," he assured her. They arrived at the restaurant, and Phoenix payed Mac for the ride.

"I'll probably be in the area if you need me later, pal," said Mac. Phoenix thanked him, and he drove away. He and Maya headed into the restaurant. They were greeted by a staircase. They climbed up, and finally got to see the restaurant. It was actually a very nice place. It was large, well lit, and, at least to the two of them, it felt pretty fancy.

"May I help you?" asked a man standing at a podium near the entrance. He was tall and thin, with a small, pointy moustache.

"Uh, Wright party of two?" offered Phoenix.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Right this way." He led them to a table. It was outside on a balcony, which offered them a nice view of the city, as well as some privacy. The man sat them down and handed them menus. "My name is Mario, and I will be your waiter this evening. What would you like to drink?"

"Um, I'm not sure," said Maya. Phoenix thought about it for a moment.

"Could we get some grape juice?" he asked. He looked to Maya for approval. She smiled. Mario nodded.

"I will be back momentarily with your drinks," he said. After he left, Phoenix and Maya looked out into the city. The sun was going down, ready to disappear behind the skyline. It was a very beautiful sight.

"So," asked Phoenix, "What looks good?" Maya opened the menu.

"I dunno, Nick," she answered. She looked through the selection, trying to find something that looked appetizing. "Aha!"

"What?"

"This!" she said happily, showing him the item on her menu. Phoenix looked at her, then at the menu, then back at her. He blinked. "Please?"

"A pizza?" he asked. "We come to a real restaurant, and you want a pizza?" Maya kept the smile on her face. He smiled back. "Sure, why not?" Mario came back, took their order, and was back in what Phoenix felt was excellent time.

They had been served their pizza, and were happily eating when Phoenix decided to strike up a conversation. "So how was Kurain?" he asked between bites.

"It was good to be back," said Maya. "The firm's kept us awfully busy."

"Yeah," said Phoenix, "sorry about that."

"Oh no, don't be. I like working with you, Nick, I really do. That's why I spend more time here then in the village." He smiled, and took a sip of his grape juice.

"Thanks," he said. "That means a lot."

"How was your last case?" she asked. "I was here when you got it, but you told me I should go on to Kurain because it wasn't a big deal."

"It was a small one," he answered. "And, not a murder for once. And it was an easily solved case too. I just had to be buried in a mountain of paperwork afterwards is all, and it kind of dragged on."

"What happened?"

"Well, my client had gotten themselves into a spot of trouble. Can't say I'm surprised, either. This isn't the first time." Maya thought about that for a second. Suddenly her eyes widened.

"You don't mean..."

"Yep," Phoenix nodded. "It was Larry again. I don't know just how he does it. But, he was framed for a theft. The person doing the framing didn't do a good job with it though, so it was easy enough to see through. It just turned out to be a little more difficult than necessary to prove."

"Yay!" exclaimed Maya. "You actually CAN function on your own!"

"Very funny," said Phoenix. "That was just a small case though."_ 'The truth is,'_ he thought, _'I don't know what would have happened if something really big had come up, and you weren't around.'_ They finished eating after a while, and Mario came back to give them the check. Phoenix actually smiled when he saw it. _'Good price, considering how much I normally have to pay when Maya eats.'_ He paid the bill, left an excellent tip, and the two made their way to the exit.

"What are we doing now?" asked Maya once they'd gotten outside.

"Well," said Phoenix, putting his hand into his pocket. "I just happen to have a couple of tickets here for a certain movie." Maya looked at the tickets, reading what they were for. Her eyes sparkled, and her mouth widened into a huge smile.

"R-really?" she asked. Phoenix nodded. "YAY!" She threw her arms around him happily. "Thank you thank you thank you!" Phoenix smiled and blushed a little.

"C'mon," he said, "the movie starts in half an hour."

888

_Steel Samurai: The Movie_, was everything that Maya had hoped for and more. Phoenix (not that he was a _fan_ of the show, or anything) had appreciated the movie for staying true to the source material, while simultaneously delivering an original plot.

"And that part," Maya was saying excitedly while they walked down the sidewalk, "Where Steel Samurai took on the Evil Magistrate's brother!"

"The Silver Shogun?" asked Phoenix. "Yeah, that was pretty cool. I liked the part where he had to fight the Pink Princess."

"After the Shogun had taken control of her mind?"

"Yeah, I thought that was actually a pretty emotionally deep scene, for a fight I mean."

"So where are we going?" asked Maya.

"The park," answered Phoenix.

"Okay." they made their way into the park. It was getting late now, and there weren't many people around. However, even in a city with a crime-rate like theirs, Maya wasn't worried for a second. After all, she was with Nick. And Nick would keep her safe, no matter what. Phoenix noticed her smiling.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Oh, you know," said Maya. "I guess I'm just having a good time."

"I'm glad," said Phoenix as they approached a small pond. They sat down on a bench and looked at the moon reflecting on the water. They sat in silence for some time, each going over their own thoughts.

'_What now?_' thought Phoenix, looking over at Maya. She really did look very nice. And it wasn't just the dress. Maya had always looked good to him. He shook his head. Should he tell her what was on his mind? What had been on his mind since the Engarde case?

Maya, meanwhile, was thinking back to the Engarde case as well. She had been scared at first, but she had known she would be okay. She knew Nick wouldn't let her down. That's why she had drawn... She smiled. She hadn't been able to show him the picture, and even if she had had the opportunity, she didn't know if she would have.

She scooted closer to him on the bench. "I've really had fun tonight," she said.

"I'm glad," said Phoenix. "I've enjoyed myself too..." He got quiet. Maya looked at him, concerned.

"Is something wrong Nick?" she asked. He sighed.

"It's just, well..." he began, awkwardly. "I... there's something I wanted to tell you, but... I feel like it's too late."

"What do you mean?" asked Maya. "You can tell me anything, you know that."

"Well, you remember the Engarde case," he said. Maya nodded. As if she could forget. "When you were taken, I was... I panicked." Maya looked surprised.

"B-but Pearly said that you kept your cool, and that you were really brave!"

"That was the face I put on it," he explained. "I had to, for Pearl. I couldn't let her see just how scared I was. And when you came back, you were so relaxed about it. I just couldn't believe it." Maya smiled.

"That's cause I knew I'd be okay," she said. "I knew you'd rescue me."

"Well I tried," said Phoenix, smiling. "Edgeworth can tell you, I broke down the door where you were held, but you weren't there."

"I did hear about that," she smiled.

"But the point is... I realized something during that whole thing."

"What?" asked Maya. Her heart started beating just a little faster. Was it what she thought he was going to say? She and Nick had always been close, but could he mean...?

"I just... I don't know what I would do without you," he said. "The thought of something happening to you... of you... I don't think I could get through life without you there, Maya." Maya's cheeks turned pink.

"Do you... do you really mean that?" she asked. Phoenix nodded. What more could he say? "Oh Nick!" She threw her arms around him for the second time that night. She hugged him tight, and buried her head in his chest.

Phoenix was caught off guard by the sudden show of affection. Caught off guard, but certainly not unhappy about it. He put his arms around her, hugging her close to him, and resting his chin on her head.

Maya, for her part, almost felt that she couldn't be happier. He really cared that much? She sat there comfortably in his arms, taking in his warmth. She nuzzled into his chest for a moment, then looked up. She had a smile on her face, but it looked to Phoenix like she was about to cry.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded, her smile one of pure joy.

"I'm just... I can't tell you how happy I am," she explained, "that I mean that much to you. I, um... I have something I want to tell you too."

"O-oh?" he said, surprised. She nodded.

"I, um... back at the end, I , uh, I mentioned a picture."

"Oh yeah," said Phoenix, "I remember you saying something about that."

"Well, I had lost it, and well..." she reached into her purse. "I got a letter from Franziska not too long ago. The picture I'd drawn turned out to be the missing fourth piece of evidence."

"Oh?" asked Phoenix.

"And she, well..." she pulled a sizeable white card out of her purse. "She sent it to me." It looked to Phoenix to be the size of the Shelly De Killer card. She flipped it over. His eyes widened. It was indeed the Shelly card, but it had been altered. Maya had drawn his face on it, and labeled it "Nick" on the bottom.

"I-I, this is..."

"The whole time he had me, all I could think of was you Nick,"she said softly. "You were the only thing that got me through it all."

"Maya..."

"Nick... I..." She leaned into him. "For the longest time, I've looked at you and felt... and felt..." She felt his hand on her chin. He gently lifted her face enough to meet her eyes.

'_It's now or never,'_ he thought. _'I just... I have to. She has to know how I feel.'_ He leaned forward and let his lips meet hers. He blushed at the action, but didn't go nearly as red as Maya.

'_H-he's... he's really...'_ her thoughts drifted off into nothingness as she moved forward into the kiss.

For once, Phoenix felt, things seemed right. He ran a hand through her hair, placing it on the back of her head. His other arm remained around her back. He'd never noticed just how soft Maya's hair was, and had never been able to imagine what her lips would feel like.

Maya was in her own little heaven. She'd never actually kissed anyone on the lips before. And kissing Nick was better than she could have dreamed. It was just amazing. They both let themselves get lost in the moment for a while, and then broke off the kiss.

Maya rested her head against his chest, a small smile on her face. Phoenix, in turn, rested his chin on her head. They stayed that way for a few minutes, perfectly happy. "Your lips were softer than I'd imagined," said Maya.

"So this is something you've thought about before?" asked Phoenix playfully. Maya blushed.

"Yeah," she admitted.

"So I guess all that stuff Pearly said had some base to it?" Phoenix smiled. Maya nodded, cuddling into him. "Well I'm glad." Phoenix felt the air grow a little colder. He kissed Maya on the forehead and removed his arms from her. He took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. "C'mon, we should get going. There's a cold front coming in sometime tonight."

"Okay." She smiled at him gratefully. They walked through the park, making their way back to the street. Phoenix called a taxi, and they got in. It was Mac again.

"Things went well?" he asked, seeing the smiles on their faces. They nodded, leaning against each other. Mac smiled. It wasn't a long ride back, and it promised to be a pleasant one. Phoenix put his arm around Maya's shoulders, and she scooted closer to him. She put her arms around his waist, and rested her head on his chest. He put his free hand in her lap.

"So, not a date, huh?" asked Mac, smirking. Phoenix smiled happily.

"Well, you know," said Phoenix. "Sometimes, one thing just leads to another." Mac just shook his head at the two. The couple sat there in the back seat, holding each other and hardly making a sound. They finally arrived back. Mac bid them goodnight, and drove off. Maya walked with Phoenix up to the door.

"Well," said Phoenix, giving her a small kiss, "goodnight. I'll see you in the morning?" Maya smiled, a somewhat mischievous look in her eye.

"Yes, I think you will Nick," she answered. She grabbed his tie and pulled him to her. She kissed him, placing her free hand on the back of his head. He kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She let go of his tie and searched for the door handle. She found it, opened the door, and grabbed his tie again. She broke the kiss off and began walking forward, leading him through the door. Phoenix smiled, a bit nervously.

"Um, where exactly are we-?" she silenced him with another kiss. She got them through the door, and then closed it with her foot. She took off her scarf, revealing her dress to be strapless. She guided them towards the stairs. Phoenix began sweating. As much as he enjoyed what was happening, he began to grow aware of what she might have on her mind. He wasn't sure he was ready for that.

"Objection!" he declared, breaking off the kiss. "Maya, I don't know if we're ready for something like that."

"Like what?" she asked, frowning. What could he think she was up to? She knew exactly what she wanted to do, but the way Nick was acting, it didn't seem like **he** did.

"Like what you're thinking about doing."

"Do you have any proof that you know what I'm thinking?" she asked. Phoenix scratched his head, considering the question.

"Well, not exactly," he said, "but-"

"Objection overruled!" declared Maya, planting another kiss on him. Before Phoenix knew it, they were upstairs, sitting on his bed together. He looked at her, nervous again. Maya looked back at him, smiling, and still oblivious as to why he was nervous at all. In addition to being nervous, his fatigue from the day was beginning to show. "You look tired," she said sweetly. "You should lay down."

"I am tired," said Phoenix. "That's why I was hoping we'd wait til tomorrow to, uh, continue."

"I'm sorry," said Maya, a little downcast, and suddenly feeling selfish. She'd kept him up too long. "I shouldn't have insisted... I just wanted more time with you before you fell asleep, and..."

"It's okay, don't be sorry," yawned Phoenix. "It's our first night together. It's exciting. I wish I wasn't so tired." She smiled, his words making her feel better almost instantly. "But, uh, if you need me to make up a guest bed or if you want me to-" She put her finger on his lips.

"No worries," she said. "I'll take care of myself, okay? You just get ready for bed, alright?" Phoenix smiled and nodded. He really did want sleep. Maya kissed him one more time, and quietly left the room.

Soon, Phoenix had removed his shoes, socks, shirt, and pants. Too tired to put on pajamas, he crawled under his covers. He was beginning to drift off when he felt movement, followed by something warm next to him. A second later he felt skin, causing him to start awake.

"M-Maya!" he exclaimed, sitting bolt upright. She was in his bed and... Phoenix turned beet-red. She was in nothing but her underwear. To his relief, she had been wearing a strapless bra. "W-what are you-?"

"Shhh," she hushed. She put her hand on his chest and gently pushed him back down. She pulled the covers over the two of them, and lay her head down on his chest, cuddling comfortably into him. She sighed contentedly. "Goodnight Nick."

"Uh, g-goodnight Maya." Maya looked up at him.

"Please Nick, don't be so nervous," she asked.

'_It's kind of hard not to be,'_ thought Phoenix. _'This is not exactly something I'm used to.'_

"Just relax," she said soothingly, nuzzling him. "I... I love you, Nick." Suddenly, upon hearing her words, he relaxed a great deal.

"I love you too, Maya," he answered. He put his arms around her and gave her a gentle squeeze. Maya smiled happily. She felt like saying something, but she noticed that his breathing had suddenly become very regular. He had finally fallen asleep. She sighed contentedly. That's all she'd wanted. The chance to fall asleep with him.

Maya snuggled into his chest and slowly drifted off to sleep herself. Before she did, she had one last joyful thought. _'He loves me.'_

* * *

This story ended up being longer than I expected! In fact, I have a little more. i was going to do it all as a one shot, but it felt like i was putting too much into it. So, keep an eye out for chapter 2!

Oh, and if anyone reading this is following my other stuff, I will be getting back to it, I promise. This has started to break away the writer's block. I hope I can continue working like I did on this. Til next time!

Edit: something seemed off in the story, so I fixed it. I had to make Maya's intentions clear to the reader. I fear I'd written it hastily before, and had ommitted certain, key things.


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